Cold Sunshine
by meandmynotebook
Summary: Belle never meets the beast and Belle and Gaston get together. Gaston does his very best to change and to be the man of her dreams. Enter Adam. He's a gorgeous prince and he behaves like a man straight out of a romance novel. Belle and Adam have an affair, which Gaston discovers. How will he react? Belle has to make the hardest decision of her life. Rated M for later chapters.
1. We are home now

"Are you going to miss our life in Paris?"

Belle glances at her father who is sitting across from her in the carriage, before she softly shakes her head. Her father doesn't know how she counted the days until they left the city. But there are more things her father doesn't know about. After two weeks on the road together, Belle and Maurice are out of topics to converse about.

"You're not going to miss your friends?" he questions Belle further.

"Papa, we spoke about this before. This is what maman wanted for us."

Belle knows her father wants to talk more about maman, but she can't. Not yet. It hurts Belle too much to think about her mother who was always so lively and full of new ideas. When she closes her eyes, she can picture her mother in the garden of their old house with a bright smile on her face, her eyes sparkling. They are moving to Alsace to make her dream reality; that should be enough for now. Maurice doesn't seem to get that. Longingly, Belle stares out of the window. Their surroundings change every couple of miles and Belle fantasizes about the people who might live here. The weather is incredible and they are almost at their new home, although the last few miles seem to take almost as long as their entire journey. The carriage seems to move slower and slower by the minute.

"How much miles do we have to go?" Belle asks concerned. Maurice checks the large map which hasn't left his side since the beginning of their journey. The expression on his face doesn't predict any good. Before she can stop him, Maurice opens the door of the carriage and gestures the horseman to stop. The carriage slowly comes to a halt. Belle decides to get some fresh air while she can. Once outside, she notices how her father arguments with the horseman. She doesn't want to be forced to pick a side, but knows her father has enough experience traveling to know if and where they took a wrong turn. The sun is shining brightly and she takes place on the side of the road, in the soft grass. She closes her eyes, tries to ignore the sounds of the argument and thinks about the last book she read. Belle hopes there is a library in Alsace; otherwise she will be forced to keep reading Romeo & Juliet over and over again. Not that rereading Romeo & Juliet would be so awful - she absolutely loved the story about the star-crossed lovers when she first read about it. Belle knows the story isn't realistic, but the love at first sight in the story made her yearn for something she never had before. Suddenly there's a loud blast and Belle immediately opens her eyes to see where the sound came from. Quickly she moves into the direction of her father and the horseman who put their discussion on hold to investigate what's going on.

"Was that a gunshot?" Belle asks her father. She can hear some laughter coming from the same direction.

The horseman nods and walks into the direction of the forest. Before he is close, two men come strolling out of the forest, into the direction of the carriage. Belle glances at them curiously. The couple looks like a comedian act; one of them is large and muscular while the other man is lumpy and just as some of the dwarfs in Belle's beloved fairy tales. The larger man immediately catches Belle's eye and he smiles a toothy smile. She can feel how her cheeks start to burn. Then he turns to speak to her father and Belle tries to study him as subtle as she can. He has powerful arms which look extremely good in the red tunic he is wearing; his large hands are covered in leather gloves made from the same material as his boots. His belt contains several animal skins, probably some rabbits he killed off just this morning. Belle has to admit to herself that she feels attracted to him. In the city all men looked the same; dressed in dark colours and moderate styles. No man dared to stand out. He probably knows she is staring at him, because the smug smile on his face grows by the second. Belle averts her eyes and tries to concentrate on the conversation between the four men. She is standing too far away to hear the conversation properly, so she walks back to her place in the sun. She closes her eyes and tries to keep her thoughts away from the handsome stranger.

After some time, Belle hears someone walking towards her. She opens her eyes, blinks against the sun and suddenly the large man is standing in front of her. Her heart skips a beat and blood rushes to her cheeks immediately.

"Bonjour mademoiselle," he booms in a deep, rich voice. He grabs her hand and plants a kiss on it. Belle is tongue-tied by this gesture and doesn't dare to look him in the eye. The man laughs boisterously. "Nobody impresses beautiful ladies like Gaston."

As soon as he speaks, her speechlessness is over. Belle lifts her eyebrow and frowns at him.

"Who is Gaston?"

He is speechless for a short moment, but he gets his act together rather quick.

"Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I usually don't have to. Where I come from everybody knows, and worships, me. Gaston LeGume is my name, mademoiselle." Belle nods at this. "My name is Belle," she introduces herself curtly.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful lady," he sighs and Belle has to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing. The whole situation seems to come out of a cheap romance novel compared to Romeo & Juliet.

"Are you a huntsman?" Belle asks him curiously. She never met a hunter before; only writers, poets and professors. Gaston's face immediately lights up.

"Yes, I am. I've been hunting since I was just a little garçon," he tells her, pride clear in his voice. "My father took me with him and he learned me everything. He was the best hunter of Alsace. Now I'm the best." Gaston gestures towards the pelts. "Just this morning I shot three rabbits and I was tracking down a deer when I heard your father and the horseman arguing."

Belle is fascinated by everything the hunter tells her. She read about a huntsman in the fairy tale of Snow White, which was completely different from meeting one. Behind Gaston's back Belle sees how her father gets back into the carriage and when he catches her eye, Gaston takes her hand and leads her back to the carriage. The little man seems to be waiting for Gaston, but Gaston doesn't pay any attention to him.

"I will make sure you get safely to your new home, Belle."

He salutes and Belle takes her place by the window again. She can see how Gaston moves swiftly onto his horse and drives away with an imposing posture. Maurice starts babbling the second the carriage is moving again.

"We are so lucky to run into monsieur LeGume and his companion. They will escort us to our new home. The horseman won't admit it to me, but I'm hundred percent sure he took a wrong turn just outside of Conmar. Just when we were so close! Can you believe it?" Maurice is silent for a moment and Belle studies Gaston from her window. Her father notices this directly and says: "What a fine gentlemen, that Gaston. He is so kind. I can live with a son-in-law like him." Maurice chuckles.

"I highly doubt it, papa," Belle mumbles, evading the question. She tries to picture a life as Gaston's wife, but she can barely paint the picture in her mind. They only met fifteen minutes ago after all.

They spend the remainder of their journey in silence. Belle notices how her father fidgets nervously with the map in his hands and she starts to feel unnerved as well. Maurice bought the house through one of his acquaintances and even though they heard good stories about it, there is always the possibility that they were deceived.

"We're almost there," Gaston calls loudly and Belle's heart starts to beat heavily in her chest. They cross a small bridge and then Belle sees the house for the first time. It's even more beautiful than she ever imagined it to be. Maman would have loved this house! The orange bricks are slanting and there is a weather vane on the roof. In her enthusiasm, Belle is hanging partly out of the carriage window and she smiles broadly at her father, who now catches a first glance of the house as well. They smile happily to each other.

"There we are, Belle," Maurice whispers while he wipes a sole tear from his cheek. Belle knows it was hard for him to leave the house in which he had been so happy with her mother; she hopes this house will mean a new beginning for the both of them.

The carriage stops and Belle jumps out immediately. With a broad smile still plastered on her face she takes in her surroundings. When a lonely chicken walks in her direction, she laughs out loud. Yes, she is sure maman would have loved it here. Belle is totally unaware of Gaston who is watching her with a soft look in his icy blue eyes. After a short while she opens the garden gate and starts to explore the gardens. As soon as she is in front of the house again, she sees that her father opened the front door. Gaston and his companion are helping her father and the horseman to empty the carriage. Belle is lifting one of her own suitcases out of the carriage when Gaston suddenly stands behind her. "Belle, let the men do all the heavy lifting. Nobody lifts as Gaston," he comments with a wink. He grabs the suitcases out of her arms and adds two more before he goes back inside. Overwhelmed Belle looks around. She tries to shake it off and enters her new home for the first time. Belle was concerned about buying a fully decorated house, but bringing own furniture was just too expensive. It looks like she had nothing to worry about; it is everything they could have wished for; the interior of the cottage is warm and cozy and the furniture looks perfectly fine. With some minor changes, Belle is sure she will feel at home here.

It takes the four men till sundown to completely unload the carriage. In the meanwhile, Belle starts cleaning the living room. The house has been empty for two years and its abandonment left layers of dust in all the rooms. She can hear through the open windows that Gaston and his companion are ready to leave. Maurice keeps thanking the two men for their help and invites them over for dinner when they are fully settled. Gaston takes this invitation enthusiastically and in his turn invites Maurice for drinks in the tavern. Belle smiles a soft smile; it was nice of Gaston to invite her father. It's the perfect place to make some new friends.

Short after she hears footsteps in the kitchen. Belle looks up, expecting to see her father, but it's Gaston who approaches her. He puts an arm around her shoulder and presses her tightly against him. Belle feels his heavy, muscular body lean into her and she feels slightly uncomfortable.

"Belle," he exclaims, "it was an honor to meet you today. How do you feel about coming to the tavern with me tomorrow? I can show you all my hunting trophies. They are very impressive if I may say so myself. I could tell you the most incredible stories!"

Belle tries to shrug off his heavy arm, while studying the look on his face. Her instinct is to keep her distance from this man no matter how handsome and impressive he looks, but maybe coming to the tavern will be the perfect occasion for her to meet some new people. Besides, she is still fascinated by the fact that he's a hunter - a real one. When she comes, she wants it to be on her terms though. Quickly she makes up an answer she knows he will fall for.

"That would be very nice, Gaston. But I have to go to the market first and there is so much to clean at home. It's very important to me to get the house decent before I go and make appointments outside the house. How can we have guests when the house isn't clean? But maybe I will see you when I go to the market tomorrow?"

Gaston is visibly impressed with my answer and he nods approvingly.

"You are totally right, Belle. And it'll be a good practice for when you get married," he tells me, his eyes serious.

He kisses her hand again before he walks towards to front door. Belle is stunned by his response and has to make an effort to keep her face expressionless. The opinions and ideas of Gaston are very old-fashioned. She hopes not everyone in Alsace will reason like that. Belle shakes her head softly; it's hard for her to comprehend. Her parents have raised her freely. There was no such thing as traditional gender roles in their household; even Maurice cooks two of three times a week and he loves making dinner. Thankfully Gaston is really leaving now; he moves onto his horse, waves one last time and rides into the direction of the village centre. His companion chuckles nervously, throws himself onto his horse and lurches after Gaston. Belle shakes her head while she watches the two men. Belle was grateful for all the help – otherwise she might have been sleeping in an old, unkempt tavern tonight - but there's something that feels a bit off. She wonders what the rest of the townspeople will be like.

Belle walks up to Maurice, who is standing in the garden, and embraces him in a deep hug. There is so much she wants to say to him, but it's too much to put into words; she is glad she is in Alsace with her father, making her mothers last dream reality while, on the other hand, it makes her miss her mother even more than usual. The absence of her mother still feels like a physical pain, like an organ ripped from her body. Maurice glances up to his daughters face and he knows enough. He can see both sadness and worry and excitement in her eyes.

"Everything will be fine, Belle. We are home now."


	2. Never part of any crowd

When Belle wakes up the next morning, the sun is shining brightly in her face. The curtains haven't arrived yet and she doesn't really mind. She loves the sun and waking up like this makes her feel hopeful for the day to come. Today she will explore Alsace for the first time and she has been looking forward to this day for months. Quickly she gets out of bed and follows her usual morning routine of washing her face and tying up her hair before she moves downstairs. Out of habit, Belle opens the kitchen cabinet to pull out the frying pan, but she finds the cabinets empty. Belle and Maurice were exhausted last night, so they only unpacked the items they needed at the moment. Their dinner was nothing more than a loaf of bread and some smoked fish, small leftovers from their journey. She hesitates about searching for kitchen utensils in the boxes, but then decides to go to the market right away. She scribbles a little note for her father and leaves.

Belle smiles when she walks over the small bridge in direction of the village centre. Even though it's early, there are quite a few people on their way. Some of them look curiously in her direction and she smiles politely to them. Belle wonders if she has to introduce herself but decides against it. If she has to introduce herself to every villager, she won't be home in time for dinner. Once she enters the market place Belle doesn't know where to look first; people are greeting each other and merchants are yelling to their customers – it's a small chaos. Everybody completely ignores Belle, but she can feel how they stare at her behind her back. She is overwhelmed by the situation; her head starts to spin and she has a hard time breathing. Belle notices a fountain in the middle of the square and she stumbles through the crowd. Leaning on the edge of the fountain, Belle hangs her wrists in the cool water. A few villagers stare at her, but neither of them ask her if she is okay. Just when she is collecting all her courage to walk back home, she sees Gaston in the distance. Belle is surprised by her own reaction, but she feels relieved to spot someone she already knows. Of course Gaston notices Belle directly and he walks towards her with a smug smile on his face. The villagers all smile and wave at him.  
"Belle, it's so good to see you again!" he exclaims in his powerful voice. He studies her face, waiting for a welcoming smile of a swoon, but when he sees her expression he realises that Belle isn't feeling well. Gaston looks at her with a troubled look in his eyes. He grabs her chin in one of his large hands.  
"You look pale," he states. Belle smiles faintly. "Are you feeling unwell?"  
His voice sounds surprisingly concerned. Belle wants to stand up to show Gaston that she's doing fine on her own, but as soon as her feet hit the ground, her head starts spinning again. She loses control of her body and before she knows it she falls, scraping against the edge of the fountain. Gaston is able to catch her just before she hits the ground.  
"Belle, who are you kidding here? You are ill!"  
Gaston scoffs at her. He sounds irritable when he whispers "woman, always the weaker gender" to himself. Belle is scared of the way her body betrayed her and that, together with Gaston's harsh reaction, make the tears pool in her eyes. Gaston seems to be immediately sorry about his outburst.  
"Come with me," he speaks to her softly. "I will take you home."  
Before Belle can comprehend what's happening, Gaston has lifted her in his arms. Belle tries to struggle herself out of his grasp, but the hunter is too strong for her. She mumbles something about the groceries she has to get although she knows she doesn't has the strength to get them now. Gaston walks throughout the village with Belle in his arms. Her head is turned towards his chest, so it's impossible for her to see the reaction of the villagers.  
"Did you save another damsel in distress, Gaston?" shouts Tom while he waves at them.  
"What would this town be without you?"  
"Nobody rescues girls like Gaston," grins Stanley.  
Gaston lifts his head proudly and pushes his chest forward. Belle doesn't even notice this anymore; she is suddenly overpowered by a high fever. With big steps, Gaston walks into the direction of the little farm. He wants to get Belle inside the house as soon as he can. When they arrive, Gaston knocks loudly on the door. It takes a little while before Maurice, bewildered and only partly dressed, opens the door. He gasps when he notices Belle lying in Gaston's arms and opens the door further so they can come in. Quickly Maurice makes place on the sofa and Gaston puts her down softly. Belle mumbles incoherently.  
"I found her by the fountain in the village centre," Gaston tells Maurice. "I don't know what happened to her. It's sheer luck I found her just in time. Otherwise she would have hit her head on the edge of the fountain and she would be scarred for life. It would have been impossible for her to find a husband if that happened!"  
Maurice seems to ignore Gaston and watches Belle with an anxious expression on his face. Gaston doesn't seem to notice the awkwardness between them, because she seats himself on one of the kitchen chairs. Maurice walks aimlessly around.  
"I would like to offer you something, Gaston, but I'm afraid we don't have anything besides water at the moment." he mumbles a little nervous. "Belle was on her way to do the groceries when this happened." Besides, Maurice won't be able to eat a thing before he knows his daughter will be well again, but he doesn't mention this to Gaston.  
"I will send my housekeeper this afternoon with some bread, milk and cheese."  
Maurice looks hesitant at Gaston.  
"Are you sure? After all you did for us… If you have other obligations, then…" he stammers, but Gaston shakes his head firmly before he gets up and readies himself to head home.

When Gaston has left, Maurice grabs some old blankets from one of the suitcases that stand in their living quarters. He checks Belle's temperature and makes sure she won't be cold. Just when he is about the leave the room to get dressed properly, Belle wakes up. She looks lost and little in the pile of blankets.  
"Papa, what happened?" she asks softly. Maurice hurries down the stairs and takes place next to her. He grabs the hand of his daughter.  
"I'm not sure, Belle. It seems like you fainted while you where at the village centre this morning. You were lucky Gaston caught you and carried you home or otherwise things might have ended a little different."br / Belle looks at her father with a shocked expression on her face. Gaston carried her home? That's so embarrassing… She wants to ask her father more about this, but she is interrupted by a knock on the front door. Maurice hurries off to open the door and an unfamiliar face greets him. His eyebrows knit in worry, before the stranger speaks.  
"Bonjour monsieur, my name is André Toulouse. Monsieur LeGume sent me to check on your daughter. She is feeling unwell?"  
The expression on Maurice's face shifts immediately. He opens the door to the man and gestures to Belle, who is still lying on the sofa. Monsieur Toulouse immediately walks towards her and starts unpacking his satchel.  
"Did monsieur Gaston tell you what happened to her?" Maurice asks uncertainly, while he makes a mental note to thank Gaston for this incredible service. Toulouse nods and summarizes Belle's adventure to Maurice in two short sentences to make sure he got everything right. After that he starts to examine Belle. The whole process takes more than an hour and Belle is completely exhausted when he is finally finished. She can't help and drifts off in a restless sleep again. Toulouse and Maurice both take place at the kitchen table; they have a lot to talk about.

Belle wakes again at the end of the afternoon. As soon as Maurice notices she's awake, he takes place next to her. Maurices grabs Belle's hand again and in that moment, Belle knows Maurice has bad news to share.  
"What's wrong, papa?" she asks softly.  
Maurice's eyes are filled with tears. Belle's heart fills with sadness; the last time she had seen her father cry was when her dear maman passed away. How bad could her condition be? She didn't feel on top of her game today, but she didn't feel like she was dying either.  
"You have hypochromic anemia, Belle," he stammers. Belle pulls her father into a tight hug.  
"Monsieur Toulouse said you probably caught it during our journey from Paris. I now realize the taverns we slept in were not suitable for a young woman like you. I never thought of the consequences… I'm so sorry, Belle."  
"What are the symptoms of hypo – what I have?" Belle asks.  
"The doctor described it to me mostly as a lack of energy, shortness of breath, headaches and a small appetite resulting in weight loss."  
Belle nods her head. All these symptoms sound pretty familiar to her, but she can't believe she has anemia. She just thought she was feeling a bit stressed due to the migration from Paris to Alsace. Maurice is silent for a long time before he speaks again.  
"Monsieur Toulouse told me it's important for you to rest and eat well. But…", he is quiet for a moment, "we don't have enough money to buy meat or other luxuries at this moment. I was planning on picking up some of my inventions in Paris to improve and sell them here, but I can't leave you like this. I have to find another way to make money. Maybe I can get a job in the village?"  
Now there are tears in Belle's eyes as well. She can't stomach the thought of her father as a stable boy or a simple servant. If that happens, all the villagers will think badly of them. They are both lost in thought when there's another knock on the door. Maurice looks questioningly at Belle before he walks towards the door. He opens the door and a small smile appears on his face.  
"Gaston, what a nice surprise!" Maurice exclaims enthusiastically.  
"I'm full of surprises," Gaston laughs loudly. "Can I come in?"  
Before Maurice can invite Gaston inside the house, the large man opens the door further and enters the house. His heavy boots leave large footprints all over the floor. Belle glares at her father for letting the hunter enter their house when she's not feeling well. As soon as she hears his heavy footsteps, she tries to smooth her hear in the nape of her neck, but it's hopeless. Gaston grabs on of the kitchen chairs and places it right next to the sofa, so he can look directly at Belle. He looks at her with compassion.  
"Belle, how are you? You look horrible."  
"Given the circumstances I'm doing fine. Thank you for asking," she answers coldly. Belle is grateful Gaston brought her home safely this morning, but that doesn't change the fact that she barely knows him. Gaston doesn't seem to notice anything strange about Belle's reaction. His eyes are focused on her body which is still hidden beneath the blankets.  
"Can I do something for you?" he asks Maurice, who is standing in the doorway to give Belle and Gaston some privacy. Maurice looks at Belle and tries to catch her eye. Belle recognizes the doubt in his eyes.  
"Well…" he finally answers, "Monsieur Toulouse said that Belle has to go on long walks to help her recover. I'm too old to take long walks and I'm not familiar with our surroundings here, so there is a large chance we'll get lost when I take her."  
Gaston nods his head in understanding, while Belle looks surprised at her father. He didn't discuss this with her.  
"So you want me to take Belle on daily walks?" Gaston says. Maurice nods slowly.  
"That's no problem, Maurice. It will be an honour to walk through the village with this beautiful young lady on my arm."  
Gaston jumps from his chair in enthusiasm, looks at Belle for a moment and flashes her a suggestive smile, before he booms with laughter. Maurice has a big smile on his face as well. Belle looks gloomy; she doesn't want to see Gaston on a daily basis. Why didn't her father discuss this with her first? Before Belle can comment on the whole situation, Gaston moves into the direction of the front door.  
"We have ourselves a deal! I will be back tomorrow!" he calls before he walks out the door. Belle swears she can hear him mumble 'Nobody walks like Gaston' in the distance and she shakes her head softly.


	3. Nobody loves like Gaston

_**AN:**_ _I've changed the POV of the story, so I can describe the thoughts and feelings of the characters better. I have to go back and change chapters one and two, but I don't know when I get around to doing that. This chapter is a bit rushed. I promise things will be beter later in the story. I have everything till chapter 15 already worked out (: I don't have a beta, so all mistakes are entirely mine. Also, this is the first M-rated chapter, so I hope you enjoy it! *hides face*_ __

 _Belle POV_  
Gaston arrives exactly at ten o'clock. Although I woke up earlier than usual, it was hard to get out of bed this morning, so when Gaston arrives, I'm not ready yet. I'm lacing up my boots when Gaston enters the room.  
"Bonjour Gaston," I say politely. After tying up my boots, I wrap myself in my cloak and pair it with a scarf. It might be April, but it feels like it's freezing outside. When I look up, I catch Gaston looking at me with a soft expression in his eyes.  
"Are you ready, Belle?" he asks when he catches my eye.  
I nod softly, but I still feel unsteady on my feet. Like a true gentleman Gaston holds out his arm and because I'm afraid I won't even make it to the doorstep otherwise, I place my hand on his arm.  
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I ask my father who is watching us from the kitchen.  
"Belle, don't be stubborn for once. This is what monsieur Toulouse told you to do."  
Gaston nods approvingly, but shuts his mouth quickly when he sees the look in my eyes. We walk slowly outside while I feel my father's eyes on me. When we walk into the direction of the village centre, I speak softly.  
"Gaston? Can we go somewhere else?"  
"Why?" He seems confused. "I wanted to take you to the tavern to show you my hunting trophies! You remember when I told you about them? I can tell you the story of how I shot every animal on my wall!" he exclaims loudly.  
With a frown I look at him. For a moment I'm overwhelmed by his arrogance and selfishness and I know he won't understand my feelings unless I'm honest about it.  
"I don't feel strong enough to face the villagers today," I whisper. I can see the surprise in his eyes, but he seems to get my message as he leads us onto another road. We walk in complete silence for a long time and slowly I start to enjoy our surroundings. Near our house appears to be a small cliff with a wondrous view of the village nearby. Once in a while I glance at Gaston and I wonder why he is doing this. What's in it for him? He has a smug smile on his face and I'm sure I don't want to know what he is thinking about. Apart from the arrogant expression on his face, he is just as handsome as the first day I saw him. His jaw is strong and his raven hair falls softly on his shoulder. His whole spirit breathes confidence; something I can only be jealous of. I'm sure he can get every girl he wants. We continue to walk wordlessly and after more than an hour Gaston drops me off at home. I smile softly and wave him goodbye. I'm not going to admit it to my father, but I had a good time. Gaston knows when to be quiet and when he is, he is good company.

-

The months go by slowly and my condition gets stronger and stronger. My father, monsieur Toulouse and Gaston are the only people I spoke with for the last months and it drives me slowly insane. I am thankful for my books, but I've read them a twice since we came to Alsace. But today is a good day – monsieur Toulouse just gave me permission to get out of the house without supervision. I leave immediately to get some bread from the market. My father sees me off and I'm sure he will be in the same spot when I return; he is still concerned about me. I'm touched by this gesture. I cross the small bridge towards the village with care while I think about the first time I walked down this road. It was such a disappointment… I wonder if the villagers have spoken about my father and me. They probably have. I have to be on my best behaviour this afternoon to show the villagers that we are just normal people. When I arrive at the baker I stand in line politely. With a small smile on my face I listen to the conversations of the women in front of me. They share small facts about their children and husbands. I can feel how they stare at me and I give them a small smile when I catch their eyes. None of them speaks to me.  
When it's my turn, I hold out my hand to the baker to introduce myself. Instead of shaking my head, he looks at me like I've lost my mind.  
"I'm not here to chat. Buy something or get the hell out of my shop!" he growls.  
Quickly I order two loaves of bread and as soon as I collect my order, I leave the store. Once outside I lean against the wall and take a deep breath. Nothing has changed in the past few months.

With anger written all over my face, I start to walk back home again. I hear footsteps close behind me and I'm startled when a soft hand suddenly grabs my wrist. I quickly turn around and I stare into the face of a gorgeous blond girl.  
"You must be Belle!" she exclaims. I stare at her in bewilderment for a few seconds before I confirm her statement.  
"How do you know?" I ask her while I hope that's not as rude to ask. She holds out her hand, which I take. Her hand is soft and warm and I can't help but smile.  
"My name is Laurette," she tells me while she fumbles with her green dress.  
"I work in Gaston's tavern. He talks about you all the time."  
Now it's my turn to fumble awkwardly with my dress. Why would speak Gaston about me with other people? Did he tell them about my disease and did they have a good laugh about it? My head is instantly filled with negative thoughts. Laurette seems to sense this.  
" He never spoke badly about you," she adds. Her smile is sweet and she makes me feel a little bit better about myself. I apologise for my strange reaction and before I can stop myself I tell Laurette about the rough time I just went through.  
"It's particularly hard for me because I don't know anyone in town… And the most of you don't seem very interested in befriending a weird girl from the city."  
Laurette starts to laugh. "You are completely right. When it comes down to new people in the village, we are a stubborn lot."  
I stare at her in surprise. Did she really just said that? I think I like this girl.  
"Do you mind if I walk with you? I believe we are headed in the same direction."  
On our way home we speak animatedly to each other. It's always like we've known each other for years. Laurette is very funny and has a lot of funny anecdotes about her work in the tavern. I'm almost disappointed when I'm at the bridge and Laurette has to go the other way even though I'm happy I made it home safely.  
"I hope to see you soon, Belle!" she calls before turning a corner. With a smile I cross the bridge. Maurice opens the door when she sees me.  
"Belle! You look so happy, dear!" he exclaims. I smile back at him.  
"I met such a nice girl," I tell him. I want to tell him more, but he interrupts me immediately. He seems just as excited as I do, but what would he be excited about?  
"You have a visitor, Belle." He suddenly sounds very serious. He goes to his lab in the basement without another word. Cautiously I walk to the kitchen and my heart drops when I see Gaston waiting for me at the kitchen table. I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about this. He seems to feel completely at home, feet on the table and all. When he notices me, he quickly gets on his feet and starts to walk towards me. I don't know what to do, so I stand in the doorway. I look to Gaston, but can't name the expression on his face. Shivers creep down my spine. Even though we spent a lot of time together the last months, I feel uncomfortable in his presence right now.  
"Gaston," I say softly.  
"Hello Belle, what a pleasure to see you again," he booms in his rich voice. He places on of his hands on the doorway as he leans into me. Our eyes meet and to my own surprise, I feel a blush on my cheeks. Before I can comprehend what's happening, Gaston leans forward and our lips collide. After a few seconds he lets go and he stares at me. I'm breathless, speechless and all sorts of thoughts are running through my head. It doesn't take long for our lips to find each other again and the kiss is a lot rougher this time. I feel Gaston's tongue against my lips and I sigh softly into him before I let him in. Our tongues fight for dominance, but Gaston wins. What a surprise. But I'm okay with that for now. His hands are tangled in my hair and my hands rest on his biceps. My first kiss is all I ever wanted it to be. It's clear Gaston had a lot of practice. Suddenly he breaks off the kiss.  
"Belle, I…" He scrapes his throat. "Oh god, I'm so in love with you."  
He seems lost in thought for a short while. He looks at me, shakes his head. I don't know what to say, so I keep quiet. I'm still processing our kiss. I had never expected to like such an intimate moment as this shared with Gaston. I always thought him to be arrogant, conceited. But maybe I way wrong… I'm so lost in my thoughts that I don't notice Gaston going down on one knee in front of me.  
"No," I whisper softly.  
"Belle," he says brashly. His voice sounds forced. "Since there is no ring shining on one of your beautiful fingers I want you to become my wife."  
I am completely losing it. Just moments ago I thought Gaston maybe wasn't the arrogant bastard I always thought he was! This Gaston is the complete opposite from the young man that kissed me just moments ago. Gaston seems to sense my doubt and he carries on.  
"Nobody loves like Gaston. And besides – what's now to admire about me? My chin, my hair, my biceps – everything is impressive and gorgeous to seen. Even my voice is gorgeous!"  
"No," I repeat, a little louder this time. "I'm sorry, Gaston, but I… I can't do this," I stammer. Suddenly his expression turns to pure rage. He stands back up and his face comes dangerously close to mine.  
"I invested in you for months… Spending time with each other on those endless walks. I even appeared to be interested in your stupid books! And now you refuse to be my wife? You know a lot of girls would give everything to be in your shoes right now!" he hisses in my ear. "But one day I _will_ marry you, Belle. No matter what!"

 _Gaston POV_  
Who does she think she is? I think wildly while I storm into the direction of the tavern. How does she dare to reject me? An intense anger fills my chest and I'm glad I don't encounter other people on my way. It doesn't take me long to get to the tavern and angrily I kick the door open. Without greeting anyone I stomp to my chair in front of the fireplace.  
"Who does she think she is?" I repeat, this time out loud. LeFou hands me a beer, but keeps quiet. I grab the drink out of his hand and take a large gulp. The liquor makes me calm down a little. With a scowl I observe the people in the tavern, while I drink my beer. When I've finished the first one, LeFou asks: "more beer."  
"What for? Nothing helps? I'm disgraced, rejected, humiliated."  
"What?" LeFou exclaims in shock. "What happened, Gaston?"  
"Belle rejected me. No one says 'no' to Gaston," I say dramatically. I cross my arms in front of my chest to show off my incredible biceps.  
"What?" LeFou repeats. "How can she reject you? You're amazing, Gaston. There's no man in town as admired as you, you're everyone's favourite guy! Everyone's awed and inspired by you and it's not very hard to see why."  
I act like I'm surprised to hear all this and shrug innocently. LeFou keeps talking about how amazing I am for the next thirty minutes and I love it. Totally gets me off. But after ten minutes, I spot the triplets in the corner and I start to think. I down my fourth beer before I walk to the triplets with large, powerful steps. As soon as they notice me, they start to giggle, batting their eyelashes.  
"Ladies," I boom, my voice deeper than it usually is. "How are the prettiest ladies of Alsace doing?"  
They start to giggle again. In my mind I roll my eyes. It's almost impossible to have a normal conversation with these girls. I know I'm attractive, but come on! Luckily I won't need anyone to converse with tonight. I look at Laurette who is fumbling with her green dress. Out of experience I know she is the most normal of the triplets. As soon as she sees my smile, she knows what I what. Laurette knows what I need on nights like this. When we leave the tavern together, her sisters look at us in disappointment. I lead Laurette to the smell alley behind the tavern and press her against the wall. I shift part of my weight onto her. She moans softly and suddenly my thoughts drift off to my kiss with Belle and the way she sighed into me this afternoon. Laurette probably notices my distraction; with one of her soft hands, she presses my face towards hers. Her warm, soft lips touch mine and I don't think about Belle any more. When my tongue slips into her mouth, she immediately lets me lead the kiss. One of my large hands is tangled in her long, blonde hair while my other hand caresses her small waist. I grind my erection onto her.  
"Oh Gaston," she moans when she breaks off the kiss. I smile charmingly at her. Girls moaning my name are one of my biggest turn-ons. Her hands move over my shoulders before she starts to massage my chest. For a short time, her hands disappear under my shirt. We really need to get to my house as soon as possible, before this completely gets out of hand.  
"Come," I say huskily, while I hoist Laurette onto my shoulders. She starts to giggle.  
"Gaston, put me down, _s'il vous-plait_!" she begs.  
While I walk fast paced towards my home, I feel her breasts press against my back. This really doesn't help me control myself and I start to walk even faster. After only a couple of minutes, I put Laurette down in front of my front door. I open the door quickly and pull Laurette into the house. I grab some candles from the kitchen cabinet and light them very quickly. After that, I take of my boots and unfasten my belt. Laurette watches me approvingly while she unties her apron. When she drops it on the floor, I slowly start to walk towards her. When our lips meet again, my groin is on fire. I push some chairs to the side and I place Laurette on the dining table. This is what I wanted to do with Belle this afternoon. I shake my head to get rid of the thought and kiss Laurette again, rougher this time. She seems to like this and it's not long before I start to explore more than only her lips. I trail down for her neck to her soft, perky breasts, which I grasp roughly. I can see the desire in her eyes and it turns me on even more. Slowly I work my way up to her earlobe. I trace it with my tongue before I bite it sharply. A loud gasp escapes her mouth and she claws her nails into my back. I groan loudly and start to pull off my shirt. Laurette takes over and while she removes my shirt, she starts to kiss parts of my chest and stomach along her way. I can't wait any longer and I start to unfasten the top of her dress as well. Her breasts look glorious in the candlelight and I can't be bothered to undo the rest of her dress. I lift up her skirts and quickly my hand trails up to her sex. She looks up to me, her long hair falling wildly against her shoulders. She is breathing – no, panting – heavily as I prepare to enter her. In a daze of lust and desire I thrust deeper into her. Laurette's moans turn to screams and I'm glad I don't have any close neighbours. It doesn't take me long to climax. When I come, I close my eyes and image Belle to be the one I'm marking as mine. I slowly ride out my orgasm, before I pull out. When I look at Laurette, I smile smugly. Her big blue eyes are completely focused on me; her lips are red and swollen, her hair a hot blonde mess.  
"You, woman, are amazing," I tell her and place a soft kiss onto her lips.  
"Do you want to get yourself cleaned up?" She nods and heads off into the direction of my washroom. While Laurette is away, mu thoughts turn to Belle again. It makes me feel hopeless, but suddenly I have a revelation. What if wooing a woman is the same as hunting a deer? That must be it! Belle must be scared to build a future with someone as amazing as me. When she thinks I've lost my interest in her, she will come close to me again. I smile broadly while I pour myself some wine. After a short moment I decide to pour a glass for Laurette as well. She seems surprised when she walks back to me. She never stays after we finish our business, but tonight this is part of my plan. Belle needs to know Laurette spend the night at my place so she regrets refusing my offer. It could have been her, it should have been her tonight! But I have the perfect plan now… I pull Laurette on my lap and kiss her neck softly.  
"Do you want to stay here tonight?"


	4. Everything has changed

Belle POV  
After Gaston's proposal I don't see him for weeks. I can't help but wonder what he is up to, although there are more than enough rumours spreading throughout the village. Let's put it this way… I'm glad Gaston doesn't have any close neighbours.  
I just got my daily groceries and treated myself to a new book. The sun is shining so bright I decide to read the first chapter of the book down by the fountain, which became my favourite spot in the village centre. I open Jack and the beanstalk and in mere minutes I'm completely unaware of my surroundings.  
"Belle," I hear a hoarse voice. I look away from the page and realise it is Gaston who is standing in front of me. I nod towards him and continue my reading. The shadows on the page of my book tell me Gaston is still standing in front of me. I pretend to keep reading and turn a page while waiting for something to happen. I don't have anything to say to Gaston any more after what he did to me two weeks ago. Everything that could possibly grow between us was ruined the moment he proposed to me and by the fact that he bedded five different girls in the weeks after my rejection. Gaston is shifting awkwardly; probably torn between the fear of another public humiliation and wanting talking to me. Eventually he comes to sit next to me. He takes my hand softly, but I pull it back in a quick motion.  
"Don't be mad at me, Belle," he purrs.  
"I believe I have every reason to be mad at you, Gaston."  
I take a brief look at his face and can't help to notice how bad he looks. He has large shadows under his eyes and his eyes don't seem as blue as they were before. I feel a short wave of pity, but I get over it quickly.  
"Please, let me explain everything. Meet me in the tavern in half an hour."  
For a moment I'm not sure how to react. What if this is one of Gaston's tricks? I decide to give him one last chance. Just to explain himself, nothing more. I nod and take off immediately to get my groceries home so my father has fresh bread for his lunch. When I walk back to the tavern, I start to feel nervous. I think about our kiss; something that has been on my mind a lot the last few weeks. I know Gaston is an arrogant, rude, uneducated, selfish man but I can't help but feel some strange attraction between us. That has to mean something, right?

Ten minutes later I enter the tavern. Gaston is seated in the back, drinking a beer. He is staring moodily into the distance and for the second time that day I see how extremely unhappy he looks. Than he notices me and his eyes start to sparkle a little. He smiles at me and gestures for come and sit next to him. When I sit down, I make sure there is more than a little distance between us.

"Well, tell me," I say bluntly. I sound harsher than I intended. Gaston sighs deeply, almost like he has to prepare himself mentally. I feel nervous again when I see the expression on his face. After a few moments of silence he finally starts talking.  
"The past few weeks I really struggled with myself, Belle. You are the only person that makes me feel like I can be completely honest with you. You can look through my loud words and my rough beauty. So I want to be honest. I believe – I… I have a lot of issues."  
He glances at his hands, too embarrassed to catch my eyes at me and I take his hand.

"In order for you to completely understand, I have to tell you about my parents. They did not have a happy marriage. Their parents brought them together for financial reasons; they never were in love with each other. My mother was a free spirit, my father a hard working huntsman. Now I come to think of it… They sound a lot like us. My childhood was, contrary to what the townspeople think, not a happy one. I was a bright boy and I wanted to go to school to learn how to read, but there was not enough money. While all my friends went to school, my father took me into the forest and taught me how to hunt. Through rains and storms I had to come with him. A snowstorm just meant I had to work extra hard to stay warm. My father and I worked every day from dusk till dawn while my mother remained at home to work on her paintings. She took her paintings with her to the market sometimes, but she never sold much of her work. When my father was home, they were always fighting. They never made up; they just opened a bottle of wine, got drunk and didn't speak about it anymore. Most of their fights were about me. I could hear them when they thought I was asleep… My parents forgot my birthday two years in a row; they barely paid attention to me. Nonetheless I did everything to make them happy; I did everything they told me to do."  
He is silent for a short moment. I am speechless; this was definitely not what I had expected to hear from the tough hunter. He swallows before he continues his story.  
"One day I woke up and found out that my mother was gone. After that day, my father never spoke about her. He turned bitter; always told me the same thing. 'You have to protect yourself against all the women on this world, Gaston. They can't have any power. Women are good for cleaning and cooking and entertaining. Don't give them any power. We, men, have to rule the world.' I still can hear him say it. I told every boy in town what my father told me and I started to get popular. I was completely baffled by it; I didn't go to school at all so why would they listen to me? I started to introduce new traditions and manners in town. We scoffed the girls who went to school and told them they just needed to look pretty and please men. More and more people started to do what I told them to. When I look back at it, I feel awful. My own mother would have hated me."  
Finally I understand why Gaston is the rude, arrogant and conceited man that he is today. His history doesn't make everything suddenly okay, but now I know what his motives are. I look him into his eyes and I see there is more he wants to tell me.  
"Belle, the past few weeks I took home other girls to try and forget you."  
I scowl when he tells me that. I knew, of course, but I find it awkward to discuss this with him. There are things I just don't need to hear about… Gaston notices the look on my face and quickly continues his story.  
"I'm sorry, I just want to be completely honest with you know. I had conversations with the girls… Or, well… I tried to. There is no other girl as smart and funny as you, Belle. This is not another proposal, Belle, but I'm absolutely sure you're the only woman who can make me completely happy."  
"Oh, Gaston," I whisper while tears are pooling in my eyes. I don't know what to say or how to feel. "I really appreciate you sharing your past with me. But this doesn't mean suddenly everything is right between us. I don't want to hurt you, but you were a complete bastard. You constantly bothered me, you kissed me without my consent…"  
I feel a fire rise in my cheeks when I mention the kiss, "and after proposing to me, you slept with several other women! I am not sure what to say to you now. I hope you understand."  
I can see the hurt in his eyes, but he nods softly.

"When you're someone like me, you get used to having everything in the world and nothing at all. How do we go on, Belle?" he whispers to me. I shake my head. To be fair – I have no idea. I'm glad we spoke to each other like normal human beings for the first time since we met, but I don't know how to go on. I'm not even sure how I feel about Gaston. It hurts me to see him struggle with himself like this and I think about our kiss all the time, but I don't see us getting married and riding off into the sunset together.

"Maybe we have to start anew," I tell him with a small smile. I stand up quickly and exit the tavern. Before I close the door, I can see an expression of utter confusion on Gaston's face en I laugh out loud. After a minute I open the tavern door and enter again. Gaston is still in the back corner and he seems to comprehend what I'm doing now. He stands up and strides towards me.  
"Bonjour mademoiselle, can I offer you something to drink?" he booms in his deep voice. A smile crosses my face.  
"Hello sir," I answer, "I don't take drinks from unknown men."  
Playfully I give him my hand. He takes my hand and kisses it softly. The fluttering feeling in my stomach shakes me.  
"Gaston LeGume."  
"Belle Perrot."  
"A beautiful name for a beautiful lady," he sighs teasingly. I giggle loudly. When I catch Gaston's eyes, I'm puzzled by the look in his eyes. It's so soft and lively – almost like a tropical sea. It's so different that the icy blue stare I got to know so well. I fall silent. Gaston is getting us something to drink. When he comes back, he sits close to me, but I don't mind. It's almost like everything has changed in the past hour; we both feel it. We smile to each other, but we don't speak. The silence is pleasant, not uncomfortable or tense.

We spend the whole afternoon together in the tavern. I ask Gaston to tell him about his hunting trophies and he is gleaming with pride. After he told me some of his hunting stories he asks me about the book I was reading this morning. When I tell him about Jack and the beanstalk I notice how he struggles to keep his attention to me, but it doesn't matter. I appreciate him asking about my books in the first place. When it's almost six o'clock, I have to leave. After everything we shared that afternoon, I don't know how to say goodbye.  
"Do you want to talk a walk with me tomorrow?" I suggest.  
"I have an even better idea! I'm taking you somewhere – I'm sure you'll love it!"  
With a smile I accept his offer and make my way home.

Papa seems surprised to see me smiling like this. I decide to keep everything that happened with Gaston to myself. Maurice was infuriated when I told him about Gaston's proposal and he probably still is. I have to make sure the two of them won't bump into each other when Gaston comes to pick me up tomorrow. On autopilot I make dinner, while thinking about Gaston. I try to remember what my mother told me about men and try to picture what my mother would say about Gaston. Papa seems to notice I'm daydreaming and asks me if I'm all right.

"Why wouldn't I be all right, papa?" I ask surprised.  
Maurice shrugs. "You were so down the first weeks. Did you make some friends?"  
I think about it and turn around to face him. Besides Gaston and Laurette the villagers still treat me the same as they did before. But it doesn't matter anymore.  
"I think that I'm the one who has changed, papa."


	5. One of a kind

**A/N: I'm *so* sorry it took me so long to update this! I just kept going back to chapter 1 to edit and edit and edit... so I decided to get the chapters out at first, before going back to edit them. I'm sorry for any mistakes I might have overlooked or POV that don't match - I promise everything will be straightened out (eventually). This is my first multi-chapter story, so reviews are love!**

Belle is awake before the first sunbeams shine through her room. Usually she jumps out of bed to make breakfast for her father, but today she stays in bed for a little while longer. She tries to imagine what today is going to look like. On one side Belle feels nervous to be with Gaston in private, but it feels good that there are no more secrets between the two of them. They handled the situation in a very adult way and she's proud of it. When she hears her father rummaging downstairs, she decides to get out of bed as well. Because she has no real chores to do today, Belle decides to wear her green dress for the occasion. She used to wear it when she had important gatherings or when people came to visit. Belle brushes her hair and look at her reflection in doubt. Will Gaston like it when she wears her hair down? She decides against it, but picks a green colored ribbon that matches her dress instead. When she hurries downstairs, Maurice notices her dress immediately. Belle acts like she doesn't notice his stairs, kisses him on his cheek and starts making breakfast. Maurice continues his own chores, but when they take place at the breakfast table, he _has_ to say something about her dress: "My, you look gorgeous today, Belle."  
"Merci, papa," she replies politely.  
Belle knows her father is too polite to ask about her plans straight away and she laughs internally about the way he tries to hear her out. She starts to butter her bread and ignores the questioning looks Maurice is still sending in her direction.  
"Do you have any plans for today?" he questions her further. Belle decides to tease him a little. She says: "I have a lunch appointment today, papa" and starts clearing the table. The expression on Maurice's face is priceless. Belle pretends she doesn't notice this and starts doing the dishes in the kitchen. A short glance on the clock tells her she has to hurry if she wants to do the groceries before she leaves. Maurice watches Belle with a concerned expression on his face.  
"Please be careful, Belle," he says softly before he goes off to work in the basement.

It was probably a good thing Belle had a lot to do that morning – otherwise she would have made herself extremely nervous. She is sitting with a book at the dinner table, waiting for Gaston to arrive, but she hasn't read a word. Everything feels different after yesterday; it feels like a clean slate, a new beginning of sorts. When there's a knock on the door Belle jumps up, adjusts her dress en walks to the front door which she opens with a small smile on her face.  
"Bonjour Gaston," she almost whispers and while she looks him in the eye, she feels how she starts to blush. Just like Belle, Gaston dressed for the occasion. He is wearing white pants instead of his usual black ones, combined with a white tunic and a red-and-yellow tailcoat. His long hair is tied together with a matching yellow ribbon. Belle laughs when she notices his clothes – the wink to his usual hunting attire not lost on her. He looks extremely attractive dressed up like this, especially when he looks at her with a look of utter admiration on his face as he takes in her new dress. As soon as his eyes come level with her neckline, Gaston starts to fidget with his coat. Belle tries to hide her chuckle in a soft cough. Let's just say she had her own reasons to pick out this dress this morning. Gaston scrapes his throat and tries to act like nothing is out of the ordinary. When he speaks at last, his voice is hoarse. He walks back to his horse and motions to her to get seated on his horse. Belle is a little hesitant.  
"Are you sure he can handle two people on his back? I can ride Philippe if he can't. He is out right now, but I will have him ready in twenty minutes or so…"  
Gaston shakes his head en Belle decides to stay away from discussions today. Clumsily she grabs his hand while she hoist herself unto his horse; it's much bigger than Philippe and she has trouble finding her balance. To help her out, Gaston mounts quickly and takes place behind Belle. He leans across her to take reins and Belle feels his muscular chest moving against her back. Her hearts starts to beat faster and her palms start to sweat. When the horse starts to move faster, she grabs Gaston's strong arms to keep her steady. Gaston smiles to himself while ordering the horse to go even faster. He laughs his boisterous laugh and Belle tries to let go of her fear and to start enjoying the fresh air and their beautiful surroundings.

They have been galloping through the forest for the best part of an hour when there suddenly appears a sandy road with small houses. Belle looks curiously over her shoulder at Gaston, but his facial expression gives nothing away. She has no other way than to trust him. They walk along the small road for almost ten minutes before they enter a village center. Gaston halts his horse, dismounts and turns around to help Belle. He has his strong arms wrapped around her small frame to get her off the horse. When Belle has both her feet steady on the ground, he let her go. Belle doesn't want to admit to herself that she feels a bit disappointed at the loss of contact. With a smile on her face, she looks up to Gaston.  
"What are we doing here?" she asks curiously. She can feel her excitement running through her veins. When Belle came to Alsace a couple of months ago she was looking for big adventures, but unfortunately life had other plans for her.  
"This is the most fun I had in ages!" Belle exclaims. He smiles broadly because she's so enthusiastic. He ties his horse to a large wooden fence on the outskirts of the village.  
"Enjoy your lunch, Grantaire," he speaks softly, while he pets the horse. Then he grabs Belle's hand.  
"Wait and see, Belle. You're going to love it!"  
He starts to strut through the village like he visits it every week, greeting some of the people. Belle looks a little uncomfortable, but Gaston's warm hand covering hers makes her feel more secure. Gaston walks towards a little shop and suddenly turns to Belle.  
"Are you ready?" he asks, a soft smile playing on his lips. Belle nods. Gaston covers her eyes with his hands and leads Belle into the store. The warmth surrounding him makes her feel warm on the inside and causes her heart to beat loud in her chest. She hopes he can't hear it…Belle clearly isn't paying attention to where she put her feet and the nerves cause her to stumble over the threshold.  
"Belle, did you hurt yourself?" Gaston's voice sounds concerned. She can't help herself and starts to giggle uncontrollably. Gaston lowers his hands and when Belle takes in their surrounding, her giggles come to an abrupt halt.  
"I can't believe it…" is all she can say. This is more than she ever dared to dream about.  
"Take a look around," Gaston invites her, but she is so impressed she can't move. Gaston brought her to the largest library she has ever seen. Soft sunlight is streaming through the large windows, making the scene like something out of her wildest dreams. He leads her to one of the bookcases, which has a ladder to reach the top of the shelves.  
"I've never seen so many books," Belle stammers. Gaston only smiles and wanders to the middle of the library. He gestures Belle to follow him and when she does, she is speechless once again. Among the bookcases is a large wooden table filled with incredible food. She takes place across Gaston, but her gazes wanders across the place. It's too much to take in all at once.  
"My mother took me here when I was little. This was her safe haven," Gaston tells her. "When I saw you for the first time, with your book at the side of the road, I knew immediately you would love this place. I talked to the owner and we have the whole library to ourselves this afternoon."  
He looks at her shyly, looking for approval on her face. Quickly he takes his eyes off her and directs his attention to the food on the table.  
" _Bon appetite_ , Belle."  
Before she grabs a slice of bread, Belle puts her hand on Gaston's.  
"Thank you for bringing me here, Gaston. I really love this place."

Both Belle and Gaston can't stop smiling while sharing their meal. Gaston took off his jacket and lounges comfortably in his chair, while he tells Belle about the different ways to track down game. Belle is fascinated by everything he tells her. Now she knows Gaston didn't attend school, she is surprised by his enormous intelligence and knowledge. All her knowledge comes from all the books she read and the things she heard about in school. While Gaston keeps talking, Belle has the chance to study him shamelessly. Now there's no frown on his face and no icy look in his blue eyes, she notices how attractive he really is. He has an amazingly strong jawline – something she always found very appealing. His sharp chin and straight nose give him something aristocratic and his raven black hair makes his blue eyes light up in his face. The journey, both on horseback and on foot, made his hair come loose from its tie en it's falling in long, soft locks over his shoulders. Oh god, how she would love to bury her hands in that hair…  
Suddenly Gaston stops talking and looks at her. His eyes look soft and full of questions.  
"Belle? Are you okay?"  
She nods and gestures for his to tell more about his hunting.  
"No, I want to talk about you. Tell me something about yourself."  
For a few seconds Belle stares at her hands. What does she have to tell Gaston about herself? It's not like she's special. She has no stories about wrestling with bears or about discovering idyllic meadows. Gaston looks at her full anticipation.  
"I was born in a small village on the edge of Paris. My parents met each other in a bookshop," she laughs. Gaston stares at her in disbelief. "Really! It was love at first sight. When I was born, my mother worked as a librarian and my father just started working on his inventions. We took little trips to Paris every Sunday and I love the colors and the sights of the city. Every arrondissement looks like a completely different city. Life was like a fairy tale."  
She pauses, not knowing how to continue her story. Gaston seems to notice she is having a hard time and takes her hand in his. His warm hand puts her at ease in a strange way. Belle takes a deep breath before continuing her story.  
"Right after my tenth birthday my mother fell ill. Papa went on a three-daylong journey to retrieve a medicine for her, but when he arrived home… S-she had passed away. I… I spend her last hours with her. It was _maman's_ dream to leave Paris and own a farm with a horse, some pigs and chickens. Papa and me are here to make _maman's_ dream reality."  
She smiles softly. "My mother loved adventures and that's what this is… Our new adventure."  
"I'm so sorry for you, Belle," Gaston whispers, while he strokes her hand. He is searching for the right words to say to comfort his Belle.  
"In the meanwhile it's nine years since she passed away, but it still feels like it was yesterday. Papa misses her so much. I was hoping he could be happy here," Belle mumbles towards her hands. "Only when I'm reading it's like she's with me. She used to read to me all the time and when I read it's like _maman_ is reading to me."  
Tears are welling up in her eyes and Belle tries to think about something different. She doesn't want to cry in front of Gaston. What if he thinks she didn't have a good time this afternoon? There is a silence between them and before she comprehends what she is doing, Belle moves towards Gaston. His face is close to hers and Gaston closes his eyes. Instead of kissing his lips, Belle brushes her hands through his hair. It feels warm and soft, different than she expected. She isn't aware of the smile spread across her face.  
Gaston opens his eyes and looks at her with a softness in his eyes.  
"You're one of a kind, Belle," he tells her while he takes both of her hands in his. Softly he kisses her knuckles; Belle stares full disbelief at him. When he lets go of her, he starts to clear the table.  
"We have to go soon. Let me clear the table, while you go and grab any book you like. Not too much, we still need to get home on Grantaire." He chuckles.  
"I like it here, with just the two of us," Belle says softly.

It doesn't take Gaston very long to clean the remains of their meal and soon they leave the library. When he puts his arm around her shoulders, Belle leans into him. A warm feeling is spreading through her chest and suddenly she realizes the thing she feared the most had happened to her… She is falling in love with Gaston.


	6. Clearing the air

**A/N: And yet again, I'm incredibly sorry for taking so long to update. Work is really killing me atm, but I fully intend to finish this story in the end. The characters are playing around in my mind, so I'm really interested to see where they take the story. I hope you'll stick around. Thank you for all your reviews - you are way too kind 3** **I don't have a beta, so all mistakes are entirely mine. Enjoy!**

It doesn't happen very often that Gaston lies awake at night. Usually he falls asleep the moment his head hits his pillow; tired from another day of hunting in the forest and the couple of beers he drinks at the tavern every night. But tonight his thoughts can't stop spinning; there's too much that happened the past few days. He keeps thinking about how taking Belle to his mother's library was such a success. Before they left Gaston felt really nervous about sharing something so personal about himself, but it turned out to be one of the best days he spend in ages. Belle has been in his thoughts since the moment they said goodbye that afternoon and even more than before Gaston fantasizes about making Belle his _épouse légitime_. Gaston's last thought is about Belle's lips before he finally drifts off to sleep.

The next morning Gaston decides to ask LeFou to accompany him on a special "hunting trip". He paces quickly through the small streets; he wants to leave the village before most of its inhabitants start their mourning routines and see him going off without his hunting attire. That might spread some nasty rumours he doesn't want to start right now. Just when he's about to knock on LeFou's door he hears someone calling his name.  
"Gaston! I'm sorry to bother you, but… eh… I…"  
It's a very nervous-looking Maurice. Gaston sighs silently but keeps a smile plastered on his face. If he was completely honest, he had expected to come across Maurice way sooner than this, and he has every right to, so he should act friendly towards the old man.  
"Maurice! How nice to see you again. What can I do for you today?"  
"I want to know if… you're responsible…" Maurice stammers.  
Gaston looks a little bewildered. This doesn't sound good. "Responsible for what?"  
"For the sparkle in my daughter's eyes, the way Belle absent-mindedly walks around the house when doing her chores and for the way she seems happier than ever before." The old man starts to blush when he tells Gaston this, but Gaston doesn't notice it. His hearts starts hammering in his chest. Could it be that Belle feels the same way about him as he does about her?  
"But I still don't understand…" Maurice continues, "I thought you were together with Laurette? I don't want to interfere with your… ehm… private relations… But I heard some of the guys talk about it last week. And I want to be completely sure you don't hurt my little girl." _Like you did before_ , Maurice wants to add, but he doesn't have the courage. Gaston doesn't know what to tell Maurice. He doesn't even know if Belle wants to tell her father about their relationship, by lack of a better word, yet. At the start it was just a strong physical attraction in combination with lust and the fact that Belle is the prettiest girl in the village, but now he feels like there might be something more, something bigger and far more serious than he initially thought there ever could be. Gaston just wanted to bed Belle and be done with it and now he's thinking about buying her an engagement ring… He has a hard time to put his feeling into words.  
"I understand," Gaston says to buy himself some more time, "and I promise I will never hurt your daughter again. She's the most beautiful girl in town and she deserves the best life has to offer. And I know I can give her that."  
He nods to himself, proud that he described his feelings so well to the old man, but Maurice doesn't look very convinced.  
"Meet me tonight at the tavern. There I can show you I really care about Belle. But please… don't tell her about it."  
Maurice looks a bit startled by the sudden request, but agrees nevertheless. Relief is written all over Gaston's face when Maurice agrees to meet him tonight. They say their goodbyes very quickly before they go their separate ways. Gaston feels even more pressured than earlier this morning and he knocks loudly on LeFou's door when he doesn't open it immediately.  
"LeFou! Come on – we're already late!" he yells to hurry the little man some more. LeFou opens the door with his feet still bare and panic written all over his face.  
"Did I forget about something, Gaston? I thought we -"  
"No, but I decided I need you this morning. I will tell you more when we're on our way – _not here_. I want to leave in two minutes so make sure you're ready to go by then!"

The trip to their neighbouring village took Gaston and LeFou a little more than an hour. More than enough time for Gaston to tell LeFou about his plan for tonight though he keeps the details of his afternoon spend with Belle to himself. When they enter the village, Gaston thinks about the day before and he smiles smugly to himself. He really did it. He is now officially the greatest hunter is all of France. No beast or girl alive stands a chance against him. The greatest hunt of his life took him almost a year, but now it comes to an end. And to be honest (though he won't admit it to anyone), he is completely okay with it. Next spring he'll be 26 years old; it's time to settle down. LeFou catches the look on his friends face.  
"Are you okay, Gaston?"  
"Never been better," he boasts. But after the words leave his mouth he realizes it's true.

When the two men enter the jeweller they are greeted very kindly. Gaston heard several men in the tavern speak about this specific jeweller who's supposed to be way better than Alsace's own jeweller. Not that he asked anyone directly about it – hell no, all of Alsace would know about his plan in the blink of an eye. He just listened very casually when they spoke about the subject of engagements and weddings. Gaston is sure he could organise the perfect wedding by now. But first he has to focus on finding the perfect ring.  
"Ahhh monsieur LeGume, how nice to see you over here," the jeweller welcomes him.  
"You are a very thorough man, my friend. When I saw you with that beautiful girl yesterday I wondered how long it would take you to visit my shop… But I never expected you to be here so quickly. Excuse me for asking…but are there any special circumstances - "  
Gaston knows exactly what the man is hinting about and he cuts him off directly.  
"How dare you?" Gaston explodes. "My future bride is an honourable woman and everyone who suggest otherwise..." The treat hangs in the air and all of a sudden the atmosphere in the store has completely changed. Gaston is absolutely furious! LeFou skitters nervously around the shop trying to calm Gaston down.  
"Look how shiny those rings over there are, Gaston! Come here!"  
His first thought is to leave this shop immediately and to make sure no-one in the whole wide neighbourhood ever comes here ever again, but then he realizes that he has an appointment with Maurice tonight. And he really has to show him a ring if he wants to prove he truly loves Belle. He cusses loudly before he follows LeFou to one of the displays. The moment he looks at all those rings with sparkling rocks and silver bands he forgets about his anger. He is really doing this! Though he has to admit he feels a little bit overwhelmed now.  
What if he misread her signals and Belle rejects his proposal again? Or even worse – what if Belle regrets marrying him after a little while? Sweat drops are pearling against his brow and he feels like he can't breathe. Is he really committing himself to one woman? He must be crazy. No! Just an hour ago he felt like the happiest man on the planet. He must continue this and go for Belle. There is no way he could ever find a better person to spend the rest of his life with.

With his hunters eye he inspects the rings, but they are all a little bit too sparkly, almost obtrusive. Gaston knows instinctively that Belle wouldn't like any of those rings and this realisation makes him proud. He has been browsing the small jewellery store for about an hour and is pretty much done with it. Then he suddenly sees a smooth silver ring with a simple red stone and he smiles. The red of the stone makes him think about his hunting outfit and the ring itself is beautiful in all its simplicity. He signals the jeweller who approaches him very carefully after Gaston's outburst a little earlier.  
"I see you're going for a red diamond with a marquise cut, monsieur? Very tasteful and classy, if I may say so. Not that I ever doubted you…"  
One look from Gaston is enough to shut the man up. The ring is carefully placed inside a red velvet box before it's handed back to Gaston. He pays the jeweller for the ring and leaves the store without thanking the man any further. His blood starts boiling again when he thinks about the rude comment the man made about Belle. LeFou has a hard time keeping up with Gaston who strides towards the horses. It's already starting to get dark, so they have to hurry if Gaston wants to meet Maurice on time.

On their way back to Alsace Gaston feels nervous about meeting up with Maurice. Their small encounter this morning had been friendly enough, but Gaston is sure the old man doesn't plan to give away his daughter to the first villager who asks her hand in marriage. And Gaston is pretty sure he insulted Maurice's feelings with his first proposal to Belle. He knows it wasn't perfect, but he got so caught up in the moment…This time his proposal has to be perfect. After their perfect afternoon in the library Belle probably has high expectations about a next proposal as well. Worst of all is that he has no idea how to propose to Belle. But that's something he has to worry about later; first he has to win the heart of his future father-in-law.

Gaston just takes the first sip of his beer when Maurice enters the tavern. The old man looks around a little helplessly so he gets out of his comfortable chair to welcome the man.  
"Good evening, Maurice," he booms in his deep voice.  
"Hello Gaston," is his reply. Gaston gestures Maurice to follow him and they both take place in the back of the tavern, so they have some privacy. He takes another chug of his beer while he waits for Maurice to start this conversation.  
"Well, let's get this over with…" Maurice starts nervously. "You know, Gaston, I'm starting to reach an old age and it would give me a great rest to know I will leave Belle with a good guy when I'm not around any more… Someone who really loves her and cares for her in times of need." Gaston looks at the old man and feels touched. He takes the small velvet box out of his pocket and places it on the table while Maurice carries on with his story. The look on Maurice's face is priceless the moment he notices the little box and he abruptly stops talking. "Is that...?"  
Gaston nods, suddenly feeling a little shy as well, and opens the box so Maurice can take a look at the ring. It's time for a little speech of his own.  
"I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier, Maurice. This isn't something I have ever done before, so I made a huge mistake with my first proposal. I should have asked your permission first. But I can promise you I will try to take good care for your daughter. I probably will mess up sometime, but I will always try to make it up. Will you allow me to marry Belle?"


	7. Something that wasn't there before

**A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews! I plan on messaging you all personally, but haven't been able to find time to do it thus far... Keep them coming though, because I really appreciate knowing what my readers think about the story. English is not my first language, so all feedback is welcome. To show you guys how much I love you I will end with a nice little cliffhanger ;)  
**  
Gaston's life may have never looked better, but for the rest of Alsace everything proceeds as usual. The baker sells his bread and rolls, mademoiselle Bardot complains about the price of eggs, stray cats steal form the butcher and the whole village is filled with gossip. Belle notices it immediately when she enters the town square; small groups of women are standing away from the crowd, whispering feverishly to each other. Belle tries to ignore the stares in her direction, but can't help but wonder what this is all about. She thought the townswomen ran out of horrible things to say about her a while ago. Had she been wrong? Suddenly she doesn't feel as happy as she did this morning. She quickly makes her usual round through the shops while trying to ignore the way people stare at her and whisper behind her back. Belle is doing quite well, until she opens the door to the bakers' shop. The small store is filled with people who are all chattering loudly. Paulette, one of Laurette's sisters, is speaking the loudest of all.

"It's true! He didn't tell me himself, but one of his closest friends told me, so I know it's true… I can't believe Gaston would spend time with someone like her… Sure, she is pretty, but she is _weird_. Who reads so many books? I know I won't! And my sisters wouldn't either. There is no way she is fit to be a wife!" Paulette exclaims.  
"No wife of mine is going to read! She had to do her chores and make me dinner," the son of the butcher yells. The other customers are nodding their heads and laughing out loud at his spirit. Belle has heard enough by now. Tears are pooling in her eyes and she has a hard time finding the door handle. When she eventually finds it, it slips from her hands and the door falls shut with a loud "bang". So far for being unnoticed... The gossipers are quiet for a little less than a second before they continue to share their detestable stories.

By the time she reaches the small bridges that leads to her home, tears are streaming down her face. She really needs to calm herself down; if she comes home like this, her father will be sick with worry. Belle rests against the warm stones and tries to get her thoughts arranged. It's just… she can't believe the villagers are still saying such horrible things about her behind her back. And she wonders why she once again became the topic of their daily gossip. Maybe they found out she had been spending an awful lot of her free time with Gaston lately. She knows most of the girls in town had set their mind to marrying Gaston, though Gaston seems to be politely avoiding some of the village girls for the past few weeks. . Belle snickers softly. It's not like she is getting married to Gaston. They are just getting to know each other better. That afternoon in the library, Belle had seen something in his eyes, dear and unsure. It was something she had not seen before and it made her realize Gaston is not the boorish, brainless man she thought he was. But he's a man of pride and honor, respected in the whole Franche-Comte region until he started to spend time with her. She's not sure if he can handle all the gossip he'll have to deal with if he wants to spend the rest of his life with her. Belle sighs softly to herself. Her despair grows by the minute and it doesn't take her very long to convince herself that Gaston never wants to see her again once he finds out what the townspeople say about her. Her heart aches by the thought that she'll never spend another day with him. She is completely lost in thoughts, so when a familiar, deep voice booms "Good morning beautiful" Belle almost screams in shock. Gaston starts laughing loudly, but his laughter quickly subsides when he notices the look on Belle's face.  
"Belle, are you okay?"  
His blue eyes are gently questioning her. She nods, but after one look in his eyes she immediately shakes her head. Before she knows it Gaston has pulled her into his arms. Belle relaxes a little when she feels his warmth surrounding her, but after a few moments she remembers they are standing in the middle of a bridge where everyone can see them. The whole village will explode when they see something like that. She quickly pulls away. For a brief moment there is look of disappointment written on Gaston's face.  
"I'm sorry. We can't do this. Not now, not here…" Belle mutters.  
"Will you tell me what's wrong?"  
Belle shakes her head again. "I don't want to get you stuck between a rock and a hard place. But if you really want to know you should visit the lovely village on the other side of this bridge. They probably have a lot to tell you about me." She hates the way her voice sounds all emotional and unstable.  
"No," is all Gaston says. Belle looks at him a little bewildered.  
"No? What do you mean?"  
"They have been gossiping about you again, haven't they? This has to stop. I want you to know I won't listen to them, Belle. They don't know you the way I have come to known you over the last few weeks. There is nothing they say that can keep me away from you. I'm absolutely serious."  
Belle looks at him and sees the honest look in his eyes. He really is sincere. Gaston pulls her in his arms again, but this time she doesn't struggle to free herself.  
"I'm so sorry," she mumbles after a few moments. "It's been a rough morning."  
"Well, I hope I can make your morning at least a little bit better… After all I came over here with a surprise for you. I want to invite you and your father for dinner at my place this evening. We'll have my latest kill roasting over the fire. I'm sure it will be the best dinner you've ever had," he announces.  
Belle hesitates at first. As far as she knows, Maurice isn't aware of the fact that Belle has been spending most of her free time with Gaston. But maybe it's a good idea to confide in Maurice… It will keep him quiet about finding a 'nice, handsome fellow' for sure.  
"Great," Belle smiles while looking up at Gaston, "but you have to invite my father."

***

His heart is hammering in his chest when he hears three knocks against his front door. He is really doing this! Tonight is going to change his life. One last look into the dining room tells him everything is ready to make this a perfect evening. He hurries towards the front door and opens it with a big gesture.  
"Good evening," he booms, while holding the door open. "Please enter _maison LeGume_."  
Belle giggles softly when she hears Gaston's name for his house. Their eyes meet each other and suddenly Gaston feels like he is on fire. Belle is standing before him in a pink dress he can't recall to have seen before. Her hair is down (just the way he likes it the most, he decides right there and then) and she looks absolutely radiant. She quickly looks away, but there's a color spreading on her cheeks. Gaston clears his throat and turns his attention to Maurice, who is standing beside his daughter.  
"Maurice. Good to see you," he greets the old man. Maurice enters the house first and before Belle knows what happens the two of them are having an amiable conversation about one of Maurice's latest inventions. She slowly follows the two men while she is taking in her surroundings. The bungalow is a lot bigger than Belle expected it to be. There's a luxurious carpet beneath her feet, which continuous on the great staircase that leads to the floor upstairs. Belle had always known Gaston was able to life comfortably from everything he acquires during his hunting trip, but this is something she never expected. When she enters the dining room she is over her initial shock and she revels in how utterly 'Gaston' the place is. Everything is decorated in dark colors, mostly reds and greens. The furniture is made of dark wood, which reminds Belle of some of her stories that take place in dark, haunted forests. And right next to the dining room table, for everyone on display, are Gaston's hunting trophies. Curious as ever, Belle reaches out to touch one of the dead animals. The fur of the bear still feels soft underneath her fingers and she can't help but feel a little bit sad about the fact that its head is now hanging here on the wall instead of dashing around in the forest.  
"I thought you kept your trophies at the tavern?" Belle interrupts the conversation of the two men.  
"That's right. Most of them are at the tavern, but I wanted something to decorate my dining room with. I'm not one for art, you know. All those silly little flowers are nothing for me."  
"You mean there are even more?"  
"Of course, Belle! After all I'm the greatest hunter in the whole of France!" Gaston exclaims.  
She settles for a soft smile.  
"I know you're an amazing hunter, Gaston. You've told me some really impressing stories. But it makes me feel a little bit sad to see those beautiful animals stuck against a wall."  
Belle really doesn't know what to say anymore; she doesn't want to fight with Gaston and they have to whole evening before them. Thankfully a grey-haired woman, who just entered the dining room, interrupts their conversation.  
"Are you and your guests ready for the first course, monsieur Gaston?"  
Gaston looks questioningly from Belle to Maurice before he answers: "Yes, I believe we are."  
He takes place at the head of the table. Belle takes place to his right, while Maurice faces Belle and sits on Gaston's left hand. Belle looks curiously at their host. She realizes there is so much she doesn't know about Gaston yet.  
"That's madame Allard," he explains. "She lives in one of the nearby villages and she helps me with my housekeeping. After all there are other duties a man has to do. I'm lucky she is a fantastic cook as well so I asked her to stay after her work was done today. She prepared some delicious dishes for tonight."  
"Ah, I can't wait for dinner then!" Maurice exclaims, while he's stuffing his napkin in the collar of his shirt. As if that was her cue, madame Allard enters the room again. This time she is carrying three plates all at once. She places them very carefully on the table before she announces: "The first course is veal served with thinly sliced rosemary potatoes and a red wine sauce. _Bon appetit!_ "  
Maurice is the first to take a bite of the veal and the expression on his face is simply ecstatic. Both Belle and Gaston laugh heartily about it before they take a bite of their own and make the exact same expression. This is the best food Belle ever had.

By the time madame Allard serves a traditional baked apple pudding (which she claims to be one of the award-winning apple puddings in France) Gaston starts to relax a little more. Keeping up a conversation with Maurice still requires quite some effort from his side, but he has to admit the man has some good ideas. Maybe they can team up one day in the future and invent some kind of machine that can help him while hunting. He sincerely hopes Maurice doesn't notice the fact that he stares at Belle a little more than appropriate in the presence of her father, but he can't help that she looks absolutely gorgeous in that soft pink dress.  
"Hmm, I should really teach myself how to make baked pudding," Belle notes.  
"If that means I'll have to eat pudding for the upcoming month while you perfect your recipe - I'm in," Maurice offers. Gaston chuckles loudly. There is a range of emotions coursing through him he can't even name. Since the year his mother left he just had basic reactions: hunger, anger, adrenaline during his hunts, fatigue, cold, lust. But right here, in his barely used dining room, with Belle and Maurice as company, he feels something he hasn't felt before.

After every last bit of dessert is devoured Maurice looks at Gaston who nods his head very discreetly.  
"Oh my, all that food really made me tired," he yawns exaggerated. "I'm not used to staying up late anymore. I guess it's about time I make my way home."  
"But papa – " Belle starts, but Maurice quickly interrupts her.  
"I'm just an old man, Belle. I can get home myself. I've done it myself before. You two enjoy the rest of your evening," he winks. Belle shifts awkwardly in her chair. It feels like she has chosen Gaston above her father. Maurice quickly kisses his daughter on her cheek, shakes hands with Gaston while thanking him profoundly for the amazing dinner they had and leaves the dining room. Belle doesn't notice the sparkle in her father's eyes when he looks back one last time before exiting the room.  
"Would you like to sit by the fireplace, Belle?" Gaston asks her softly. Now Maurice isn't here anymore he suddenly feels nervous to be alone with Belle. She nods and follows Gaston to a place, which she would guess to be the living room. The front of the room has a couple of chairs standing in the chamber all facing an enormous fireplace. Gaston hesitates a little about where to seat himself but decides to go for the fur right in front of the fireplace. Belle takes place right next to him.  
"Did you have a good time tonight?"  
"Yes, I did. The food was amazing. Thank you, Gaston."  
"It was nothing… just another animal I conquered in the woods. It's madame Allard who did all the hard work. She has been busy since early this morning to get everything arranged for tonight."  
Belle places her hand on Gaston's arm and looks into his blue eyes. The words struggle to get out.  
"I'm serious, Gaston. I never expected this to happen when we first met, but without you my life in Alsace would have been a living hell. I would certainly not be as content as I am right now, so I can't thank you enough for sharing parts of your life and your home with me the last few weeks."  
Gaston feels touched by Belle's words and doesn't know what to say to her. He takes one of her small hands into his larger ones while moving closer towards her. He feels like this is the perfect moment to ask her. But there's something he has to do first.  
"May I kiss you?"  
"Are we asking permission now?" she teases him, referring to the day of Gaston's first proposal.  
She giggles at his shocked expression before she quickly presses her lips against Gaston's. He is totally unprepared, so their second try at their first kiss is more an accidental peck on the lips. Gaston places a hand on the base of her neck, softly pulling Belle towards him. She can feel the anticipation building in her stomach, closing her eyes before their lips touch for a second time that evening. A shock soars through her body when she feels Gaston entering her mouth with his tongue. It doesn't take very long before they completely submit to each other. There's a lot more passion in this kiss and when they eventually pull apart they are both breathless. Belle chuckles a little ashamed when she finds herself in Gaston's lap without having any idea about how she ended up there.  
"You have no idea how long I have wanted to do that."  
Gaston pulls her in for another kiss, but ends it rather abrupt. Belle looks a little disappointed and he chuckles at her.  
"Before we completely lose ourselves… There is something I wanted to ask you, Belle."  
He fumbles around with his waistcoat while trying to find the small velvet box with the diamond ring he purchased yesterday. Belle's expression has shifted from disappointed to expectant. Just when his fingers touch the velvet, there's a knock on the door and madame Allard appears again. Belle quickly moves away from Gaston and has taken a sudden interest in the small statues standing on the fireplace.  
"I'm sorry to disturb you again, monsieur Gaston, but there is someone who is very insistent on speaking with you," she tells him. Gaston looks completely puzzled. How could his proposal be ruined again? It felt like the perfect moment. And who could possibly want to speak to him at this time of night? His friends are probably all together in the tavern and if LeFou had been in trouble he'd probably just come and stormed the living room. He excuses himself to Belle before he follows madame Allard to the hallway.

There is a cloaked person standing next to the staircase. He is absolutely sure it's a woman and for a short moment Gaston hopes it's his mother who returned after all those years. The sound of his heavy footsteps announced his arrival and the woman turns around and removes the cloak from her head.


	8. Bittersweet and strange

**A/N: Thank you all so much for still sticking around. I'm had some personal issues to figure out the last couple of months, but I'm happy everything is solved now. In fact, I'm more eager than ever to get back to my writing ^_^ I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm not the best dialogue writer and this chapter has a lot of dialogue. Thank you all for leaving reviews - I won't be able to get back to all of you, but they mean the world to me. X!**

There is a brief flash of disappointment written on his face when Gaston recognizes the woman.

"Laurette? What are you doing here? It's too late for a woman to be out on her own!" Gaston exclaims slightly agitated. Then he notices the dark bruises underneath her eyes, her ashen face and the beads of sweat on her forehead.  
"You look sick. You should go back to bed. Why are you here?"  
She shakes her head while tears fill her big blue eyes.  
"There is something that you need to know… Is there some… someplace where we can talk … talk in private?" Laurette stammers, while she turns her face away from him.

"Well, we are in my own home, so I don't see how we could have a conversation that's even more private than the one we already have," Gaston tells her coldly. He still doesn't understand why Laurette is here at this time of night. He is eager to get her out of his house so he can return to Belle.  
"I'm having a baby."

It's a little more than a whisper, but Gaston can hear the words perfectly clear. Pure panic washes over him. His head is immediately filled with endless questions. Was he the father of this child? How does Laurette know? Is she sure? Is he going to be a father? How could this happen? What about Belle? She is going to kill him when she finds out. _Fuck_. Why didn't he use protection?  
"W-what? How? Are you sure? Am I… am I the father?" he stammers.

"I believe I don't have to tell you _how_ , Gaston," Laurette reacts, suddenly snarky. "And monsieur Toulouse visited me this afternoon, so yes – I'm sure. It happened about ten weeks ago. You know perfectly well what we did back then… I'll probably start showing soon and I wanted to let you know before village gossip spreads the word."  
"This can't be true…"  
Gaston is still completely lost in thought. One of his lifelong wishes is about to come true and he never felt more terrible in his life. "I was about to propose to Belle before you came in. How could this all happen to me?"

Laurette turns pale. She heard rumors about Gaston courting Belle, but she had thought it was just that… Rumors. The old women in the village like to tattle while doing their daily chores, so she didn't think much of it. It's not that Laurette had expected Gaston to be enthusiastic at her announcement, but somewhere in her mind she had believed him to accept the fact that the two of them would have a baby together. Laurette would have moved in with him, Gaston would have given up his bachelor life for her. Gaston would become the best father the town had ever seen and she would have had her happily ever after. But instead of a fairy-tale ending, Laurette feels left alone while she has to take care for a little baby all by herself, without a steady income and a house shared with her two sisters. How could she have been so stupid? Tears are filling her eyes again.  
"I… I should be going. I'm so sorry… I don't want to be a burden to you. In fact, I should not have told you at all. Everything will work out fine. We don't need your help. Enjoy your night with your fiancé," Laurette stutters, trying to sound strong and confident. She takes one last look at Gaston before taking off again. Gaston watches her leave with a bewildered look in his eyes. He is torn between making sure Laurette arrives home safely and returning back to Belle right away, but instead he sinks down on the steps of his grand staircase. He leans his head on his palms, while he tries to order his thoughts. _How could he have been so stupid?  
_ He finally thought he had his life in order. He finally thought about spending his life with someone who meant everything to him. For the first time in his life he thought about and cared for someone else and now some stupid thing he did in the past came to tear his life apart again. How could he ever tell Belle about this?

"Are you all right?" Belle asks when Gaston returns to the sitting room.  
"Yes, thank you for asking. It was just LeFou with some dumb queston…" Gaston lies smoothly.  
Belle furrows her brow questioningly and the moment he looks her in the eyes, he decides he can't lie to her. He stumbles towards one of the chairs.  
"I'm sorry – no. No, I'm not alright." His voice is full of emotion. Belle looks concerned and starts to wonder what possibly could have gone wrong in the short ten minutes Gaston was away from her. She has never seen him so upset before.  
"Do you want to talk to me?" she offers carefully. Her nature is way too curious to not ask Gaston anything about this, but a small part of her is scared she is going to push him away if she's too intrusive. While observing his pale face and tear-filled eyes, Belle takes place in the chair next to his waiting for something she can do for him. Gaston is quiet for a very long time. Belle keeps glancing at him while Gaston keeps staring into the blazing fire in the fireplace across the room.

"Belle?" he suddenly whispers.  
"Yes?"  
"I want to be completely honest with you, but this… I completely messed everything up and telling you about will be the hardest thing… Please… Promise me you will listen all the way to the end?"  
An overwhelming feeling of anxiety fills Belle's chest. She nods her head slowly, waiting for Gaston to tell her what happened after dinner. Though she is not sure she wants to know.  
"Okay…" He nods, collecting all his courage. "Well, you know I am a popular man in Alsace. Girls are throwing themselves at me everywhere I come and they make me feel liked."  
He sounds a little more like himself now.  
"In the past, I took them to my private chambers above the tavern whenever I felt alone at night or when I had too much to drink. I didn't think much about it at the time, but on the day I met you I realized what my life was missing… someone to spend the rest of my life with. Someone to come home to every night. I was quite shocked when I realized that. I always thought I was happy with my bachelor life; sleeping with another girl almost every night, not give a damn about _their_ feelings and needs. It was an easy, self-centered life."  
He pauses for a short second, too scared to continue.  
"When I proposed to you… It was the same way, selfish and proud, without considering your feelings. I didn't even ask Maurice for your hand in marriage before I proposed. Shame is eating me alive when I think back about that proposal and everything I did after. When you refused I went to the tavern and I got insanely drink. I took one of the triplets home with me…"  
"Gaston, you don't…" Belle interrupts him. "We have spoken about this before. What happened between your proposal and the last few weeks if forgiven and forgotten."  
She is completely sincere. Belle just doesn't want to hear him tell her all about it again. Thinking about his life before they met is more difficult than she would like to admit to herself.  
"Please Belle, I have to tell you this. You can't possible know how horrible all of this is if I don't tell you everything… I took Laurette home with me, because I knew it would make _you_ jealous. I saw the two of you chatting that morning and you looked happier than I'd seen in a long while. Usually I take the girls to my room in the tavern, but I took Laurette home with me and made her stay the night in the hope she would tell you all about our night. I'm _so_ sorry…"

Gaston is all choked up and at loss for words. Belle is looking at him with tears in her eyes, shocked at the sudden turn of events. She feels so lost about everything that is happening all of a sudden. She has absolutely no idea where this conversation in headed.

"So what happened this evening?" Belle asks. She tries to sound firm, but her emotions crack her voice nevertheless. Gaston reaches for her hand, but Belle softly pulls it away from him.  
""After we made up I tried to better my life. I dismissed all the girls that approached me and I didn't care the slightest about it. I thought to myself: _if I do this right, I get to spend the rest of my life with the most amazing woman I've ever met_. And I tried to get everything right… I asked your father permission to marry you, I went to a jeweler to buy you the most gorgeous ring you've ever seen…"

Belle can't help herself; a little gasp escapes her. Quickly she places her hands in front of her mouth. Does Gaston tell this to come completely clean before he proposes to her again?  
"And everything went according to plan until just half an hour ago. Tonight was supposed to be the perfect night. Until Laurette showed up. She's pregnant, Belle, and it's entirely my fault. I've always wanted to be a father to six or seven strapping boys, but not like this… I wanted to have children with _you_. And now… I've ruined everything!"

Despair is written all over his face. "We will never see each other again after tonight and Laurette will hate me for getting her pregnant and _you_ will hate me for getting Laurette pregnant. The whole village will probably hate me and nobody will want to buy any of my hunting game every again, so I become jobless and will have to share a room above the tavern with LeFou while he -"  
Gaston starts ranting now, but is stopped by a softly whispered "oh my god" from Belle. The sudden silence of the room is overpowering the couple. Belle doesn't have the nerve to look Gaston in the eyes. She has absolutely no idea what her facial expression looks like… She doesn't even know what she should be feeling at this moment! Belle could have been the happiest woman on earth tonight. But marrying Gaston with Laurette carrying his baby… This is not what Belle expected from life. Her silence is making Gaston nervous as well.  
"Would you please say something?"  
"Eh… I'm not sure what to say to you. This is all so much to take in."  
Suddenly she feels like she needs to leave or she will start to cry uncontrollably. . In one quick motion Belle stands up from her chair and makes her way to the door. Before he knows it, this is the second time that evening a woman storms out of his house. He watches her leave with a dumbfounded look on his face before realization hits him. If he lets Belle go without a fight, he is never going to see her again. He hurries to the hallway where he quickly grabs his cloak before he leaves the house.

It doesn't take the big hunter very long to catch up with Belle, but his hearts falters when he hears her sobs piercing through the night. He knew he had hurt her, but he never would have thought she cared this much for him. Tears are filling his eyes as well, but he roughly wipes them away. While he was certain to come after her a few minutes ago, he is hesitating now. Maybe he should give some time to herself? His mind works harder than it ever worked before. What would a woman like in a situation like this? It's bright as day Gaston has no idea about what woman prefer. He decides to make sure Belle arrives home safely, while keeping to the shadows so she doesn't notice him.

When Belle arrives home, she is happy Maurice appears to be asleep. Maybe he wanted to give her some privacy. It was supposed to be the night of her engagement after all. Belle decides to sit on the porch for a while. If she retires to bed right away, she would just toss and turn for the rest of the night. She stares in the direction of the small bridge that leads her to the town center with no idea that Gaston is right on the other side of it, making sure she arrived home safely and feeling just as awful as she does. She stays on the porch for a long, long time while daydreaming about the perfect evening she could have had. The movie in her mind shows a nervous Gaston who fidgets clumsily while getting a small velvet box out of his waistcoat pocket, before he shows her the ring. The look on his face is soft and full of love; something she hasn't seen this way before. With a smile Belle accepts the ring and before she has a chance to look at it, Gaston has taken her into his strong arms… It's only when she hears sound coming out of the nearby forest that she realizes it's getting rather late and cold. Belle decides to go to sleep. She only hopes she won't bump into Maurice on her way to bed.

With an ache in his whole body, Gaston watches Belle from the shadows the rest of the night. Her hair shines so beautifully in the moonlight and if it wasn't for the tears streaming down her face, Belle would have looked like an angel sent down from heaven. It doesn't take the sneering voice in his head very long to convince him Belle would be better off without him. Maybe she'll meet a decent prince with a shiny castle and runs off with him. God knows she deserves it.

He is just about to make his way home when he feels the small velvet box still remaining in his pocket. With a sigh he opens the box from one last time and looks at the ring. It would have fit Belle perfectly. Hesitantly he stares through the trees to Belle's window before he walks up to the porch of the little house. Carefully he places the ring box in front of the door before he makes his way home.


End file.
